Terminal for storage batteries



April 5, 1932. w. B. PIETENPOL ET AL I 1,352,366

TERMINAL FOR STORAGE BATTERIES Filed April 1, 1926 I N V EN TORS.

Patented Apr. 5, 1932 1 I UNITED STATES PA'rs 'roFricE wmmn PIITEHPOL AND IRAN]! O. WALZ, OI BOULDER, COLORADO I03 STOEAGE surname Application filed April 1, 1928. lerlal No. 88,978.

Our invention relates to improvements in nal st 2, comprises two metal conductorterminals for storage batteries and its primem rst and 15 brought into electral corre mary object resides in the provision of a conlation by a body of mercury 4 contained in nection between the terminal of a storage anon-conductive and non-corrosive coupling- 8 battery and a conductor of a circuit havin its element.

source of electricity in the battery, whic is The member 4 which, in practise, is conrendered non-corrosive by a simple and eflinected with the terminal post of the battery, cient method of insulating its metal currentconsists of a cylindrical button provided with transmitting parts. a circumferential flange 8, for its connection 10 Another object of the invention is to rowith the coupling element; and the other vide a connection of the above described member 15 to which the conductor 12 is fascharacter, permitting of a rotary motion of toned, is composed of a circumferentially the circuit wire whereby it may turn to difgrooved metal stud 15 and a surrounding ferent positions without detrimental efiect collar 13 of non-conductive material, which 15 upon its conductive relation to the terminal of has a flange 14 for its rotary support in cor- 68 the battery. relation to the member 4.

Still another object ofthe invention resides The collar 13, being made of rubber or in the provision of a non-corrosive, self-adother non-conductive material of like charjusting and readily separative connection for acter, is molded around the stud 15 and by conductors of electricity which is applicable entering the circumferential groove of the 70 to terminal posts of standard storage batterstud, becomes a ermanent part thereof. ies; and still another object is to provide a The extremities of the stud project outside novel method of fastening a metallic terminal the collar for their connection with the cirmember to either the battery post or the circuit wire and the body of mercury in the 25 cuit wire, and further objects reside in details coupling element as will hereinafter be more of construction and a novel and practical arfully described. rangement of parts as will fully appear in the The coupling-element is composed of an course of the following description. annular, externally threaded inner'part 9 and In the accompanying drawings in the sevan internally threaded outer part 11 which in 130 eral views of which like parts are similarly the operation functions as a nut by which d i t d, the circuit wire is removably connected to the Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of post of the battery. the connection, The part 9 of the coupling element is made Figure 2 a similar view of the connection of rubber molded around the button 4 and '35 in its operative relation to the terminal post permanently connected with the same by me- 86 of a storage battery and a conductor of elecdium of the flange 8; and the nut-part 11, t i it and likewise made of non-conducting material, Figure 3 a perspective view of a mold emhas an inwardly projecting double-shouh ployed to apply the connection to the terminal dered rim which in conjunction with the upst. per end of the part 9, provides an annular 90 Referring further to the drawings, the nurecess to admit the circumferential flange- 14 meral 1 designates the upper portion of a ofthe collar 13 around the conductive memstorage battery of conventional construction ber 15 of the circuitwire and thereby support p provided with a terminal post 2 for the consaid member free for rotation to adjust the nection of its electrodes with a circuit-wire position of the conductor 12 relative to the such as that designated in the drawings by battery. the reference character 12. The nut 11 is externally knurled as at 19 to 1 The connection by which in accordance facilitate its adjustment. The conductorwith the present invention, the circuit wire members 4 and 15 of the connection mounted 12 is held in conductive relation to the termias hereinabove described, in axial alinement,

are spaced from each other within the coupling element, and placed in conductive connection with each other by means of the before mentioned body of mercury which is contained within the hollow inner part 9 of the element.

In order to provide for a reliable contact of the metal members and 4 with the mershaped for its insertion through an opening in the bottom of a cup-shaped mold 3 shown in detail in Figure 3 and indicated in broken lines in Figure 2.

The body of the button 4 below the flan e 8 has a ca 5 of lead, partially within t e part 9 of t e coupling-element, and partially projecting below the same.

The mold 3 is filled with molten lead and before this lead is cooled to a hardened condition, the connection is placed upon the mold with the projecting portion of the cap immersed in the molten lead container therein.

The lead, upon solidification, welds the metal button 4 to the terminal 2 and the mold which is made of paper or other cheap and easily destroyed material, is subsequently removed b breaking it away from the hardened lead To provide for the connection between the member 15 and the circuit wire 12, the extremities thereof are inserted through 0 enings of a mold interiorly shaped in con ormity with the part 18 shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, the outer end of the member 15 being covered by a cap of lead 17, which extends partially within the non-conductive collar 13, and partially outside the same.

The mold is filled with lead and upon solidification thereof the mold, which like the other, is made of destructible material, is removed by breaking it away from the hardened lead.

It is desirable that the lead connection between the member 15 and the conductor 12, encompass a portion of the insulating envelop of the wire, so as to prevent corrosion of the latter at that point.

Having thus described the construction, arrangement and method of application of our improved connection, it will be evident that by reason of the non-corrosive properties of the parts of the coupling-element and the lead used to connect the conductor-members 4 and 15 to the terminal post of the battery and the circuit-wire, respectively, and owing to the complete insulation of the end portions of the members at which they are connected to the post and the wire, and the fact that their ends are amalgamated and emersed in mercury corrosion of the only parts of corrodible metal included in the construction is completely avoided.

The connection will, therefore, retain its efliciency for an indefinite period without attent-ion, and the rotary arrangement of its parts permits of theconductor 12 being turned to any desired position with relation to the battery.

It is furthermore to be observed that the wire is readily detached from the battery by merely unscrewing the nut 11 from the relatively stationary part 9, and that the simple method of attachlng the conductor member 4 to the battery post permits of applying the connection to any battery of conventlonal construction without the use of tools or appliances other than the simple mold.

The connection between the circuit wire and the other conductive member is made with equal facility and the practically noncorrosive mercury provides an eflicient agent to maintain the current transmitting relation between the two metal members under all conditions while permitting of the movement of the one relative to the other.

The movability of the member 15 relative to the coupling element of the connection not only permits of the wire 12 being turned in different directions, but is also of value in that it prevents the nut 11 from bein loosened by vibration of a vehicle on WhlCh the battery is mounted or by accidental displacement of the wire, and should it be desired to hold the wire against rotation, the collar 13 and the portion of the inner part 9 of the coupling element may be formed to a noncircular fit with relation to each other.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A battery terminal having a chamber and comprising upper and lower corrodible conductive members, the lower member providing a bottom for the chamber, an externally threaded, non-conductive wall member for the chamber, a non-conductive collar on the upper member, supported on the wall member and in turn supporting said upper member, a. body of conductive liquid in the chamber contacting with the conductive members, portions of said corrosive conductive members being exteriorly of the chamber, non-corrodible coverings for said portions, and a nut in engagement with the threads on the wall member, the nut having a shoulder in contact with the collar and holding same against displacement.

2. A battery terminal having a chamber and comprising upper and lower corrodible conductive members, the lower member providing a bottom for the chamber, an externally threaded, non-conductive wall member for the chamber, a non-conductive collar on the upper member, having a flange supported on said wall member, whereby to support said upper member, a body of conductive liquid in the chamber contacting with the conductive members, portions of said corrodible conductive members being exteriorly of the chamber, non-corrosive coverings for said portions, and a nut in engagement with the threads on the wall member, the nut engagm ing said flange and holding same against displacement.

3. A battery terminal comprising, a housing including a non-conductive wall member defining a chamber, upper and lower corrodible conductive members extending in the chamber and outside the housing, the lower member providing a bottom for the chamber,

a non-conductive collar for the upper member, resting upon the non-conductive wall 26 member, whereby to support the upper corrodible conductive member and close the chamber, means for holding the collar against displacement on the wall member, a body of conducting liquid in the chamber contacting mg with the parts of the corrodible conductive members exposed Within the chamber, and connections of non-corrosive metal covering the parts of the corrodible-conductive members outside the housing. to t. A battery terminal comprising a housing including a non-conductive wall member delining a chamber, a lower corrodible conductive member providing a bottom for the chamber, a non-conductive closure for the as chamber bearing on the wall member, means for holding the closure against displacement on the wall member, an upper corrodible conductive member extending through the closure into the chamber, connections ononcorrosive metal for the conducting members, outside the housing, and a body of conducting liquid covering the parts of the conducting members inside the chamber.

5. A battery terminal comprising a housing including a non-conductive wall member defining a chamber, 11 per and lower corrodible conductive mem ers extending in the chamber and outside the housing, the lower member providing a bottom for the chamber, a non-conductive collar for the upper memher resting upon the non-conductive wall member, whereby'to support the upper cor-' rodible conductive member and close the chamber, adjustable means for holding the face of the female member is acid-proof.

7. A battery terminal connection comprising a female member providing a mercury well, the bottom surface of which is conductive, a body of mercury in the well, covering said bottom, a male member having a small conductive extremity exposed in the body of mercury, a coupling-member for holding the male member in its said position relative to the female member, and a conductive body to connect the male member with a conductor of electricity, the male member bein composed of a metal conductive part havlng an end engaging with the conductive body, and a non-metallic collar completely covering the surface of the metal conductive part between the conductive body and the said exposed extremity of the part, which normally extends into the body of mercury, whereby when the male part is withdrawn from the female part the major portion "of the metal conductive part remains protected from acid by a nonmetallic covering.

In testimony whereof, we hereunto aflix our signatures.

WILLIAM B. PIETENPOL. FRANK C. WALZ. 

